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Sharing memory. Summary of the international youth project NESHAMA
More than 200 young people and 40 teachers from five countries, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, and Poland, took part in a seminar at the Auschwitz Museum from 15 to 17 March. It was the culmination of the year-long project NESHAMA – Network for European Youth for Holocaust Remembrance.
The aim of the project was to create a network of Young European Ambassadors whose mission would be to pass on the memory of the Holocaust, promote Jewish culture, and connect memorial sites across Europe. Each country involved in the project was represented by a specific institution:
Croatia: Jasenovac Memorial Site
France: Le Mémorial de la Shoah (coordinator) and Le Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation
Germany: Langenstein-Zwieberge Memorial Site
Greece: Jewish Museum of Greece in Athens
Poland: Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
In the initial phase of the project, the young participants met regularly at museums and memorial sites in their own countries to learn about their history and the significance of their work in the contemporary world. Young people from Poland, representing seven secondary schools from the Oświęcim County, were able to visit the grounds of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz, see the Museum’s Collections, Archives, and Conservation Laboratories, and take part in numerous workshops devoted both to the history of the camp and to the meaning of memory about Auschwitz in today’s world.
“An integrative element was very important to us. That is why activities were often organized in groups composed of students from different schools, which allowed for much greater dynamism in group discussions and for the exchange of diverse experiences,” said Anna Stańczyk, one of the project coordinators from the International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust.
“We also wanted the sessions not to take the form of a formal lecture, where the speaker talks and the young people listen. Many of the activities were based on active group work using materials prepared in advance, through which the participants could learn from one another,” added Marine Dudziak-Vannier, coordinator from the ICEAH.
In the next phase, online lectures were organized on Jewish life in Europe before the war, various aspects of Holocaust history, and the contemporary role of Holocaust memory. There were also meetings with Holocaust Survivors from different countries, who shared their experiences and reflections on the lessons that must be drawn from the past. For the young participants, this was one of the most important parts of the program.
The culminating moments were two in-person meetings held at the end of January in Paris and in March in Oświęcim.
In Paris, thanks to guided walks through the city and visits to the Mémorial de la Shoah and the Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation, the participants had the opportunity to learn both about the history of the prewar Jewish community and about how it functions today. One part of the program was a visit to Drancy, the site of the transit camp for Jews. From there they were taken to the Bobigny railway station and deported to their deaths in Auschwitz. The program also included a meeting with Survivor Arlette Testyler, who survived the Holocaust in hiding.
An important moment of this part of the project was participation in ceremonies marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, connected with the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. The young participants also presented the museums and memorial sites they had explored during the project. Polish students in their presentation used the story of survivor Batsheva Dagan, a Polish Jewish woman from Łódź, and the tiny shoes made for her by a fellow prisoner in Auschwitz, who wished that they would carry her to freedom. A replica of the shoes was shown to all participants.
The March meeting in Oświęcim was devoted mainly to the history of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. During a two-day study visit, the young people visited the most important places in both Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau. The Polish part of the group presented biographies of people deported to Auschwitz from the countries participating in the project. There was also a meeting with Survivor Leon Weintraub.
As a conclusion, the participants built a tree of memory together, on which they hung group reflections on the lessons of Holocaust history and on their participation in the project. Everyone was honored with certificates as Ambassadors of Memory.
“This is not a project, this is not a lesson, this is not an obligation. This is your experience. You are now more experienced, but this is only the beginning. Let this experience become part of your identity,” Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński, Director of the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum, told the young participants.
Selected reflections from the tree of memory:
“Everything starts from words. It’s not wars or battles but these small actions that mark the beginning of a tragedy.”
“That history always repeats itself whether we like it or not and it’s important to never forget the causes and compare them to modern situations.”
“We should treat people over the differences. We are all the same, no matter religion or skin colour. All people deserve respect and dignity. Love is for everyone.”
“The Holocaust shows how dangerous racism and indifference can be. It teaches us defend justice and respect the value of every human being without discrimination.”
“During the Neshama project I learned how to connect with people from various cultures and ethnicities. I believe that this experience will help me with building and strengthening relationships in the future.”
“The Neshama project has taught and shown me the whole other perspective of the Shoah. And I’m now realizing how deep and insanely cruel and violent it was. I’m now thriving to become even more empathetic and not act on emotions such as violence, hate, etc. or rely on fake news.”
“The fact that we were able to meet so many survivors and listen to their stories/testimonies was very important, because we will carry their legacy. Moreover, we shared this experience with so many nationalities which was beautiful!”
“We must stay vigilant against the rise of totalitarianism and always try to protect discriminated minorities. We should continue to remind and transmit the history, share the memory and build a world where one can carry its culture, opinions and past without being stigmatized or persecuted.”
The NESHAMA project was funded by the European Commission under the EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life (2021-2030).
Schools participating in the project:
Croatia:
16th Gymnasium Zagreb
France:
Lycée Charlemagne, Paris
Lycée Joliot-Curie, Nanterre
Germany:
Berufsbildende Schulen J.P.C. Heinrich Mette, Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Greece:
Greek-French School "Saint-Paul" in Athens
6th Lyceum of Volos
Poland:
Konarski High School in Oświęcim
Upper Secondary and Technical Schools Complex named after Ignacy Łukasiewicz in Oświęcim
Economic and Gastronomic Schools Complex in Oświęcim
Technical School named after Professor Kazimierz Bielenin in Brzeszcze
Maria Dąbrowska High School in Kęty
Mechanical and Electrical Schools Complex named after Nicolaus Copernicus in Kęty
Stanisław Wyspiański High School in Kęty
